Atlantic food firms find success in U.S. South

NEWS RELEASE TRANSMITTED BY CCN NEWSWIRE

FOR:  AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD CANADA

JULY 31, 2001 - 17:00 EDT

Atlantic food firms find success in U.S. South

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I.--A Team Canada Atlantic Trade Mission to 
Atlanta in May has produced $750,000 in initial sales for nine 
participating food companies from across the region. 

Companies are now selling products in the U.S. southeast, ranging 
from Newfoundland fruit wines to processed fish, vegetable 
products and cheese. Others are finalizing distribution deals or 
contracts for future sales in the fastest growing market in the 
United States. 

Suppliers are reporting 24 sales leads from the trip. 

"The success that has been achieved by this group of entrepreneurs
is further proof that Canadian agriculture and agri-food producers
can compete and win in the international marketplace," said 
Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lyle Vanclief. "I congratulate 
all of the businesses that attained great success during this 
trade mission in opening doors and identifying new opportunities,"
Mr. Vanclief added. 

During the mission nine companies showcased their products at a 
"Taste of Atlantic Canada" food-tasting event prepared by 
Halifax-based chef Donald Walker. 

Atlanta food business representatives dined on potato wraps and 
grilled sausages, Malpeque oysters, fruit wines, Canadian cheddar 
cheese, crab cakes, Coquille St. Jacques and smoked salmon. 

"With the growing population in Georgia, the Carolinas and 
Florida, we've set a goal of $1 million a year in orders," said 
Theojene Albert, owner of New Brunswick's Aqua Cuisine Inc., a 
maker of crab cake entrees. 

Marketing Director Larry Stephan at Rodrigues Winery near St. 
John's, Newfoundland, is hoping to see 2000 cases of his company's
fruit wines in Georgia liquor store outlets soon. 

Manager Len Murray at ASAPCO Foods/ Strong Farms of Woodstock, New
Brunswick, is equally upbeat about the prospects for growth in the
U.S. South. "By this time next year we should have a vibrant 
business in Atlanta and plant expansion is under way due to sales 
potential in Georgia."  

This summer may see some new spicy pork sausage and potato pork 
wrap snacks from York Point Farms on P.E.I. in the U.S southeast, 
according to company vice-president Donald MacDonald. "There's a 
good opportunity to service the growing Latino market in Florida 
now that we know what they are looking for," he said.   

Amalgamated Dairies Ltd. of Summerside is seeking a chunk of the 
deli, restaurant and hotel business. "We see a niche market as a 
speciality cheese supplier with our extra sharp Canadian cheddar,"
said Sales Director Ron Dehmel. Amalgamated Dairies is close to 
landing its first account in Atlanta, final details are expected 
in the next few days for a deal involving 5000 kilos of cheese. 

The Team Canada Trade Mission to Atlanta was organized by the 
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), Agriculture and 
Agri-Food Canada's Market and Industry Services Branch, the four 
Atlantic Provinces, the Department of Foreign Affairs and 
International Trade, Industry Canada, and the Canadian 
Manufacturers and Exporters Association. The nine food companies 
were among 37 Atlantic Canadian companies taking part in the 
mission. Over the next two years, the mission is expected to 
generate total sales of $34.5 million. 

Company Profiles 

Rodrigues Wines near St.John's, Newfoundland, maker of fruit wines
produced from wildberries and farm grown fruit has 300 cases of 
product in Georgia liquor stores A Kosher designation for the 
wines may help open a new market.  


/T/

Contact: 
Larry Stephan
Rodrigues Wines
Markland Cottage Winery
41 Bank Road
Eastport, Newfoundland, A0G 1Z0
Tel/Fax: (709) 677 2558
E-Mail: Stephan@rodrigueswinery.com
Website: www.rodrigueswinery.com  

SIF Fish Products in Tusket N.S. has a distributor/ agent handling
500 pounds of salted ground fish in the Georgia market supplying a
growing Latino community.

Contact: 
Mr.Glyn G. Hennigar
SIF Canada Ltd
P.O. Box 163
Tusket, N.S
Canada B0W 3M0
Tel: (902) 648-3427 or 1-888 577-6824
Fax: (902) 648-3012
E-Mail: glyn@sanssouci.ns.ca
                             
ASAPCO Foods /Strong Farms is finalizing a distributor in Atlanta for
its cooked frozen vegetables products with trials coming this fall in
Georgia hospitals and other institutions. A plant expansion is
already under way in Woodstock N.B. to meet an anticipated boost in
demand.

Contact:            
Garry Stewart
Director of Sales and Marketing
ASAPCO Foods/Strong Farms
160 Charles Street
Woodstock, New Brunswick
Canada E7M 1J4 
Tel: (506) 325-2149
Fax: (506) 325-2154
E-Mail: strongp@@nbnet.ca
Website: www.strongfarms.com
  
Wolfhead Smokers operator George Wolf sees the U.S. southeast as a
natural extension of his growing export business in the U.S. He went looking for new markets and made some good contacts. Wolf based in
Letang N.B. is arranging a distributor to handle his smoked salmon
products in the U.S. southeast.

Contact: 
George Wolf
Wolfhead Smokers Ltd.
420 Route 172 
Letang, New Brunswick
Canada E5C 1W5
Tel: (506) 755-1203 
Fax: (506) 755-2908
E-Mail: skwolf@nbnet.nb.ca
                           
Amalgamated Dairies Ltd. In Summerside P.E.I. is looking for a slice
of the deli and hotel business in the Atlanta market with its extra
sharp Canadian cheddar cheese. Shipments of a couple of thousand
pounds are expected initially.

Contact:  
Ron Dehmel
Director of Sales and Marketing
Amalgamated Dairies Ltd.
79 Water Street 
Summerside, Prince Edward Island 
Canada C1N 1A6
Tel: (902) 888-5024
Fax: (902) 436-7609
E-Mail: rdehmel@adl.ca
  
York Point Farms in Mount Stewart P.E.I is talking with a Georgia hog
operator interested in buying P.E.I live pig high herd health
breeding stock. A sale worth $1.5 million early in the new year is a
possibility. York Point Farms also came back with some potential
orders for it's prepared food products business. Testing is underway
at the Food Technology Centre in Charlottetown on a "Latino" product.
There could be some shipments this summer.

Contact: 
York Point Farms Ltd.
Donald MacDonald
P.O. Box 43
Mount Stewart R.R.#1
Prince Edward Island 
Canada C0A 1T0
Tel: (902) 676 -2622 
Fax: (902) 676-2834
E-Mail: dp.macdonald@pe.sympatico.ca 

Atlantis Food Products Inc. in Saint Simon New Brunswick, producer of
value added fish products is looking to penetrate the U.S. southeast
market with fajita flavoured cod and salmon fillets, seafood pizza
and white wine and lemon flavoured cod and salmon. Atlantis has a
distributor in Atlanta and Florida with hopes for delivery to
supermarkets this fall.

Contact:  
Daniel Lacombe
1605 Route 335
Saint Simon, New Brunswick
Canada E8P 2A5 
Tel: (506) 727 -3499
Fax:(506) 727 -3177
E-Mail: afpe@nb.sympatico.ca
Website: www.atlantisfoodproducts.com 

Aqua Cuisine Inc.  Is looking to crack the U.S. southeast market with
crab cake products Crabs au Gratin, Seafood au Gratin and coquille
St. Jacques. The plant in Caraquet, New Brunswick sent samples out in
June for taste testing in U.S. supermarkets. The company has a broker
handling the Georgia, Carolinas and Florida markets.

Contact:   
Theojene Albert
422 St. Pierre Blvd West
Caraquet, New Brunswick
Canada E1W 1A3
Tel: (506) 727-2082
Fax: (506) 7272084
E-Mail: aquacuisine@mail.usa.com  

/T/

-30-

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Minister Vanclief's Office

Donald Boulanger

Press Secretary

Ottawa

(613) 759-1761

or

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Media Relations

Ottawa

(613) 759-7972